Wikileaks founder Julian Assange announces TV talk show

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange speaks to the media after appearing at Belmarsh Magistrates court in Woolwich on January 11, 2011. Assange was appearing court today to fight against his extradition to Sweden where he is sought for questioning over alleged sex crimes. UPI/Hugo Philpott

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange announced Monday that he has plans to host a television talk show that will likely cause almost as much controversy as his website has.

According to The Associated Press, the cyber-transparency activist announced that the show’s guests would include “iconoclasts, visionaries and power insiders” that Assange could challenge face-to-face on how they see world affairs in the future. Each episode of the show will be built around the common theme of “the world tomorrow.”

The Guardian reports that the show will run for 10 episodes and would air in mid-March. However, Wikileaks did not say what networks had secured broadcast rights for the show. However, the statement does say that “Initial licensing commitments cover over 600 million viewers across cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcast networks.”

Wikileaks described Assange as being “Both a pioneer for a more just world and a victim of political repression, he is uniquely placed to catalyse a global discussion on how to go forward,” in the statement, which did not specify which world leaders will appear.

The AP notes that at the end of the statement, Wikileaks asks that all inquiries about the show be sent to an e-mail for Quick Roll Productions. The AP discovered that the company’s website had only been created two weeks ago. The statement also noted that it was authorized by Assange.

According to Press Trust of India, Assange is currently out on bail after he was detained following a European arrest warrant stemming from allegations that he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden in 2010.